BRUNO MARTINS INDI ON STAYING AT STOKE: ‘I SHOWED ON THE PITCH I'M JUST AS COMMITTED TO THE CAUSE...'

BRUNO Martins Indi is used to a career that is better than fighting for points at the bottom of the Championship.

- John Wragg

He’s been part of a Holland squad that finished third in the 2014 World Cup. He’s played for Ronald Koeman, Louis van Gaal, Guus Hiddink, and Danny Blind, so away to Barnsley is not the stuff of his dreams.

Martins Indi said towards the end of Stoke’s first failed attempt to get out of the Championship that he would be looking to get back into the Premier League, whether that was with the Potters or not.

On the Friday night two weeks ago when Stoke suffered the worst beating of Michael O’Neill’s, below, three-month reign, 4-0 at Derby, it was the last day of the January transfer window and Martins Indi expected to be leaving.

There was interest from Premier League clubs, there was interest from abroad and Martins Indi did not play for Stoke that night. Bit of packing to do.

But it didn’t happen. Martins Indi is still at Stoke, still fighting relegation, still a player better than his current job and defying anyone, with that self-confidence that the Dutch have, to say, to his face, that he won’t be doing his best.

Stoke’s public are still sceptical but in his first game since that aborted move, Martins Indi was a powerful defensive influence in their 3-1 win over Charlton last Saturday, making it a successful 28th birthday in the process.

The Potters failed to follow that up and were beaten at home in midweek by Preston. A relegation battle is likely to blight Stoke for the rest of what is a difficult season, both for club and Martins Indi.

He was said to be ‘ill’ prior to the Derby defeat but it is thought he was upset at a move not going through at the last minute.